A Blether with Hielan' Bling's Jen Mackenzie

We came across Jen's beautiful creations when she was ordering some fabric from us and since then we have loved following her on Instagram to see her newest creations. When we started thinking of Mackenzie's we would like to interview as part of our Clan of the month feature, her name was top of the list!

Heilan Bling is the work of Inverness-based Jen Mackenzie. Jen combines on-trend interior decor with traditional Scottish handicrafts using decoupage to transform locally-sourced deer antlers. She hand-crafts all antlers to order which means that she can work with you to customise all elements of your order so you get the perfect set.

You will be pleased to hear her antlers are locally sourced and supplied by local gamekeepers and deer management officers. She only works with ethical suppliers and all of her skulls are sourced as a by-product of essential deer management.

My husband is an officer in the Royal Regiment of Scotland and we were posted to Fort George, Inverness in the summer of 2010. I had started to mess around with decoupage on furniture but decided that I wanted to give him a unique gift for Christmas so acquired a 12 point trophy and set about decoupaging it in MacKenzie Silk Tartan. That first attempt is still up in our wall and was the beginning of Heilan' Bling! It didn't start properly though until we bought our own house just outside Inverness and I could have a workshop....army kitchens just don't cut the mustard!

I had a friend who had been posted away and was feeling a bit down so I'd jazzed up a set of roebuck antlers and fired off a wee note saying something along the lines of:

“A wee bit of Heilan' bling to cheer you up mucka!“

And then it just kind of clicked!

I'm almost tempted to put 'the time spent alone in my workshop with an audio book', as that is a huge bonus, but seriously it's the reactions from people when they see my antlers for the first time! I love it when someone who might never have had a set up on the wall decides that actually, yes, they'd really like some. A customer described them once as "creepy but not creepy" which still makes me chortle.

Well, the original one was pretty memorable, (eight hours solid at the kitchen table on Christmas Eve ignoring the kids ) but my current fave is a Liberty 'Mash Up'....a patchworkey mish-mash of liberty tana lawn, very bright!

You can see with the Royal Stewart that I've found the best way with the tartans is to get the lightweight sample, then photocopy it. Particularly important for the roebuck so I can turn it into a miniature and then the whole pattern will fit on the skull. Photocopying usually takes a few goes fiddling the colour levels so you get as close a match as possible then on it goes. The hard part is filling in all the gaps and getting the lines to match up, tartans are a beast to do!!

Ooo, that's a tough one! The landscape, the tartan, (the whisky!) the pipes, the ceilidhs... I honestly couldn't pick between them! Living in the Highlands has to be the cherry though!

Do you prefer making your own creations or working on commissions?

A bit of both! When I'm doing my own designs I can relax as I have a stash of tried and tested materials that I know will work and that are relatively easy to complete. These are the pieces that will go on the website or be taken to a craft fair. When completing a commission however, there's always that slight anxiety that you're having to match an image that someone has in their head. There's quite a lot of pressure to get it perfect, but then on the flipside you get to experience the customer's reaction to something completely bespoke and that's great!

Mackenzie obviously! Although to be fair, I am quite partial to an Ancient Buchanan!

When and how did the Mackenzie School of English open?

Mackenzie School opened in 2008. At that time there were no other dedicated junior schools, and we (my former business partner and I) wanted to offer a School of English exclusively for young people. Since then we have moved into the adult market too; it’s important to keep moving in business.

How did it get its name?

We wanted a Scottish name for the School and as my business partner had the surname ‘Mackenzie’, it seemed an obvious choice.

Why did you choose Leith/Edinburgh for your base?

Of course we wanted to be in Edinburgh because it’s a fantastic city and visitors love it! When we started looking for premises, we found our first building, overlooking Leith Links. The spirit of Leith encompasses our school values; traditional yet modern, the strength of community, diversity and commitment to improvement.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Part of our ethos is not just to provide a language course, but an enriching life experience, something that may change someone’s life, or direction. I enjoy thinking we have made a real difference in the lives of our students.

Where do most of your international students come from and how long do they usually stay for?

A lot of our students come from Europe - Spain and Italy most commonly, but we get students from all over the world. Young Learner Courses can be from 1 - 4 weeks long, and Adult Courses can be up to 13 weeks.

Do you feel your students gain something extra from their stay in Scotland?

Yes, without a doubt! They love Scotland, and Edinburgh is a great city, but what students really take into their hearts is the warmth, friendliness and good humour of the Scottish people.

Do you have a favourite tartan?

I would have to say, the Mackenzie tartan.

How have you found working through the current Covid Crisis in Scotland?

It has been very testing for language schools in general as we have been unable to operate due to travel restrictions, yet we have not been eligible for any government support. The industry as a whole has been affected quite badly and sadly even here in Edinburgh, many schools may be unable to re-open. There has been a lot of uncertainty however I have taken this as an opportunity to diversify. Wee Mack’s Nursery, also based at our stunning premises in Constitution Street, will be opening later this year. I have been working behind the scenes to get this venture up and running, and I am very excited about the move into Early Learning.

We had planned to reopen Mackenzie School in September but with the latest rise in cases around the globe and in the UK, this is looking more and more unlikely. We want to make sure that when we do reopen, it's safe for both staff and students...

When was Mackenzie Golf Bags established and how did it come to be?

MacKenzie Golf Bags was started in 1985 by Peter Jacobsen and his brother David. They were playing together at the Old Course and were assigned a caddie by the name of Rick MacKenzie. Rick took one look at their staff bags and asked if he could combine their clubs into a single set? The Jacobsens obliged and he threw their clubs into a beautiful leather pencil bag. Inspired by the simplicity and quality of the little golf bag, Peter and David came back to Portland, Oregon and started MacKenzie Golf Bags. We have been located here making golf bags and accessories for 35 years.

How did your business get its name?

Our business was named after a gentleman by the name of Rick MacKenzie. He was the long time caddie master at the Old Course in St Andrews. Our founders, Peter and David Jacobsen, were inspired by Rick and his beautiful leather carry bag so they decided it fitting to name the business after him. The logo that we use today was actually on Rick MacKenzie’s business card that he handed Peter after their round in 1985. So Rick is responsible for our name, original logo and general inspiration to create quality golf bags.

What do you enjoy most about creating your bespoke golf bags?

Creating a MacKenzie is a delicate balance of customer’s ideas, our own creative license and the skilled trade of our craftsmen and women. It is a deceivingly simple canvas that we have fallen in love with coloring. I think what I enjoy most though is our customers enthusiasm for what we do, it inspires the pride we take in our work. Nothing makes us happier than the words of a pleased customer!

Do you have a favourite project you can remember creating?

We’ve made a lot of unique and fun golf bags over the years, it’s hard to just pick a single favorite. One recent project that comes to mind is a couple of bags we did for our friends at Sugarloaf Social Club. We the bags out of an actual racing boat sail.

What are your favourite Scottish influences?

Scotland is undoubtedly the home of golf. There is no better place to go if you wish to understand the games heritage and ethos. In our opinion, golf is intended to be played while walking amongst friends, carrying your clubs, and enjoying the beauty of the game without taking yourself too seriously. For us, Scotland has influenced that opinion a great deal, and for that we are truly grateful.

Do you have a favourite tartan?

We generally utilize tartan fabrics at the specific request of our customers, most times it is their personal clan tartan or some other licensed tartan. But our personal favorite…MacKenzie, of course!

We're no strangers to a rapid turn around here at ScotlandShop, but when I heard the story of the bag they made for a certain occupant of the White House I was very impressed. When Nic received a phone call one week before Christmas asking for a Mackenzie bag to be ready in time for Christmas, he had to apologise to the caller as it simply wouldn't be possible on such a short time frame. However when he heard who the bag was for, he went out of his way to make an exception. The bag pictured below was turned around and shipped out in record time for none other than the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.